Paul Morris: ‘The number of men who have written to me asking to be the recipient of gallons of semen is virtually uncountable.’

In a new interview with Vice, Treasure Island Media founder Paul Morris lets loose at all gay men, especially of the older generation, who continue to treat HIV as a scourge and a menace, and he says he’s especially interested in young men who refuse HIV meds because they’re “proud of their viral load.”

This is the second time that a publication outside the gay/porn media has tried to make sense of TIM’s latest controversial release, namely Viral Loads, that video that features Blue Bailey getting gang-banged by 20 guys and getting a jar of liquid labeled “POZ CUM” turkey-basted up his ass. Salon took up the story just a few weeks ago. Those of us who are used to TIM’s antics by now were mostly unfazed by this release — after all, The 1000-Load Fuck is five years old now, and that jar was only about 200 loads, so. But writer Toby McCasker manages to get Morris on the phone for a rare interview, and he’s dying to ask what the fuck this is all about.

Morris, no matter what you may say about him, is kind of like Alice Waters in his ability to sing a single tune for years on end, never waver, and stay on message for his one and only cause. That cause, as you should know by now, is the liberation of sex from all fear of HIV, and a return to the raunchy years of bathhouse culture before anyone ever thought to put a condom on if there wasn’t a vagina around.

Though I may not agree with his views, he would counter that the porn he’s making isn’t made for me, but it’s being made for people who want to let go of all fear and give wildness and raw sex back to gay men.

In gay culture, there’s never been more of an almost hysterical centering of life around two things — drag queens and marriage — both of which are unfortunate misogynistic parodies of heteroseuxal life. Gay men have completely lost the sense of who they are because they’ve been immersed in terror, because they’ve been living under a viral load for two generations.

He kind of has a point there. But he doesn’t quite admit that Viral Loads is, in essence, fetishizing HIV and the idea of getting infected, devil-may-care. He also doesn’t admit that the model in question, Blue Bailey, who took all those loads is proudly out as a poz performer, so the product copy suggesting that Blue was just fearless about being infected is a bit misleading.

Morris says more about how he’s not insensitive to the emotions people have around the disease, especially those who lost loved ones to it in recent decades. These movies, though, are his reaction to that war the gay community all went through.

The vast majority of my acquaintances and friends and lovers died. It isn’t that I’m untouched. It’s that I’m so deeply touched by it that I believe in the necessity of remembering what it is that they and I all explored — and not forgetting it. That’s crucial to me. The most painful thing for me to hear is I’m callous, or I’m doing this to make a buck on the deaths of other people or something like that. That’s horrifying to me.

Also, according to him, this idea of wanting to have your hole bred with a huge jar of cum is not some weird, fringe fetish.

The number of men who have written to me asking to be the recipient of gallons of semen is virtually uncountable. These aren’t the incidental fantasies of a small fringe of outliers. These speak to the heart of the sexual imagination of most queer men. It wasn’t made for you. There’s no reason for you to see it. For you, it would read as an irrational stunt. But for the straight world, much of what comprises queer culture and life is incomprehensible. Regrettably, the same can still be said for many of the older members of the gay world. Years ago I stated that all gay men are HIV-positive. That is, every gay man alive today is defined as much by the viral load narrative as by any external homophobia. If you wonder at the meaning of a jar filled with poz loads being poured up the ass of a happy, intelligent, and more-than-willing young gay man, the primary meaning is that there is no reason or excuse for continuing to live in fear of a virus.

Certainly Treasure Island’s consistent top ranking among studios represented on NakedSword.com, in terms of getting the highest weekly viewership, speaks to the fact that their raw style of porn, with “real” looking guys in real looking situations fucking bareback, appeals to many sexual imaginations of queer men. But jars of cum? I’m gonna argue that those are still fringe outliers, and if they’re hoping to have it done to them in real life, they probably don’t like themselves that much.

[VICE]

 

21 thoughts on “Paul Morris: ‘The number of men who have written to me asking to be the recipient of gallons of semen is virtually uncountable.’”

  1. All Paul Morris is saying is that cum is a rising tide that lifts all boats.

    Of course, that was after he formally tweeted to @NikitaKhrushchev to remove his missiles from Cuba.

  2. Paul Morris’s characterization of the number of begging-for-cum-gallons letters as “virtually uncountable” suggests he is unable to count to numbers in the five figures, if that. This seems disingenuous insofar as his monthly take home pay packet must contain at least that many dollars. What I wonder is, will TrueWords now chide me for making an uninformed and simplified comment about HIV when all I have done is call out some bad math? We’ll soon see…

    1. ‘Don’t take no meds, don’t go to a doctor. And that’s what I did. I sabotaged myself to get my numbers down.’

      Fortner was 22 and homeless when he started feeling weak, with crushing stomach pain and terrible headaches. A sex worker from the age of 16, sometimes too high on crack to remember to use protection, he had been putting off the inevitable for weeks before he finally decided to get tested for HIV. The result came back positive.

      “My whole world changed,” Fortner says, recalling the moment six years ago when he received his diagnosis. At first it changed for the worse as he struggled to come to terms with his diagnosis.

      But then, it changed for the better.

      After years of homelessness and a day-to-day existence, Fortner, now 28, was faced with the tantalizing prospect of a place to sleep, regular meals, and more thorough New York City services provided to people who reach a certain stage of the disease. First he would have to meet their diagnosis requirements; then he would receive help.

      “I didn’t know about the services,” he says. “I didn’t know that once you have AIDS you’re entitled to all this other stuff.”

      That silver lining was a surprise to Fortner. And while it might seem counterintuitive, contracting the virus has made life easier for other young homeless men in New York City, who in return for developing full-blown AIDS gain a roof over their heads and basic services.

      A FASCINATING READ BELOW:

      http://www.out.com/news-opinion/2013/08/02/men-who-want-aids-bronx-new-york

      MORE INFORMATION HERE:

      http://www.aidsmap.com/Consent-to-HIV-tests-and-treatment/page/1497506/

  3. Maybe I’m wrong but this 200 loads semen jar seems to be the same size and contains the same amount of that one with 1000 loads…LOL.

  4. Who needs conservative Republicans and evangelical Christian when Paul Morris supposedly speaks for most gay men?

  5. WTF is wrong with some people??? HIV is a potentially fatal disease like any other that needs to be controlled as much as possible with meds so people can continue to live their lives as “normal” as possible.. I will use diabetes as an example of a potentially fatal disease that can be reasonably controlled with insulin .. Would people with diabetes refuse to take insulin because they are proud of their diabetes and chose instead to go through all the complications of not taking medication? Not for a second unless they had some serious mental problems.. The same thing with people who have HIV who refuse to take meds.. While it is a individual’s decision whether or not to take meds for their conditions, there is usually psychological or religious reasons why they would rather chose to spend their remaining days of their life in pain and with complications that will end their lives quicker. Since I have yet to hear of a single religion that preaches taking meds for HIV will land you in hell and is against the bible, then the only logical reasoning is that these people are seriously fucked up in the head.

    1. This uninformed and simplified comment goes to illustrate how polarized some gay men are against those with HIV because many just assume it is a matter of taking one pill and you are good to go…there is a lack of compassion and basic UNDERSTANDING on the effects of these medications on the person so read further and educate yourself further…

      There are many factors as to why people DO NOT consistently take their HIV medication…

      1. ACCESS…one month they can get access and the next month they can not

      http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/social-issues/endgame-aids-in-black-america/why-some-with-hiv-still-cant-get-treatment/

      2. FATIGUE can be one of the most debilitating symptoms experienced by people with HIV disease. Fortunately, there are several measures that people experiencing fatigue can take to improve their energy levels and overall quality of life.

      http://www.thebody.com/content/art2640.html

      3. DEPRESSION…Studies show that people who are infected with HIV are more likely than the general population to develop depression. Depression affects a person’s ability to follow treatment for HIV/AIDS, as well as quality of life and lifespan.

      http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression-and-aids/index.shtml

      Here are some other reasons why HIV+ do not take their medications consistently

      Why do people miss doses of their HIV medicines?

      The most common reasons for people not taking HIV medicines are: • Feeling sick from the side effects.
      • Work or travel schedules make them forget.
      • Total number of pills they have to take and whether or not they have to take them with food.
      • Sleeping and eating schedules get in the way.
      • Depression or other mental health problems.
      • Using drugs or alcohol — forgetting or not taking their HIV medicines.
      • Not understanding how important it is to take medicines
      on schedule.

      Click to access 9236.pdf

      1. None of your information addresses this line from the article:

        [Morris] says he’s especially interested in young men who refuse HIV meds because they’re “proud of their viral load.”

        ‘Proud’ and ‘refuse’ doesn’t sound like depressed, exhausted, forgetful, or just plain unable to afford treatment.

        1. VERY TRUE…there are those who want to glorify their viral status…that is their choice at an extremely high cost

  6. I can not deny that there are some truths in this article and yes this generation of gay men are discounted or celebrated based on their viral loads. The staggering truth is that for all the openness that is portrayed about sex and sexuality in the gay world many gay men are not that open about these areas in the lives with themselves first and secondly with family and/or friends.

    The truth is many gay men have secret lives within secret lives within secret lives within secret lives .For far too many many it is like peeling an onion. We wear these happy faces but we do not share our lives with even our most trusted friends. Too many gay men still in 2014 compartmentalize various aspects of their lives. Yes, it makes sense we live in a judgmental world that loves to condemn as fast as it champions someone…for example: Michael Sam gets drafted takes a picture with his boyfriend Vito and BAM…there it is Vito was boyfriends with a porn star Austin Wilde…what does that mean, is he HIV+ because Austin does bareback, he only likes black men…and it goes on and on and on…

    However, I will speak for myself: I was NO better (I saw myself a verging sex addict with the start of the internet in the late 90s, phone sex and a few sex club visits) to be honest (and it remains a fight not to go down that rabbit hole). Sadly I had a glorious wake-up to this reality some 15 years ago when a friend of mine was diagnosed with HIV and soon committed suicide. He mailed letters to many of us and I saw myself starting to create that box within a box within a box with a box until the tiniest box was my self-worth, dignity and shame.
    I miss you Anthony.
    I am now 46 and married (THANK YOU Washington State) to a wonderful man that I am honest with each and every morning, noon and night but I am also honest with myself.

    So speaking of honestly let’s look at a few things and try to be honest as well. These comments DO NOT apply to EACH and EVERY gay man but there is truth in them. It is NOT internalized homophobia on my part because so many people make that claim to call someone a troll and stall the conversations that need to happen. I am happy to amend and or change whatever if it is wrong. That is how I grow and enhance my life.

    1. Some gay men are not out (for a variety of reasons to friends, co-workers, family, etc.). For all of this push that we are normal we tell ourselves that our world will collapse if the wrong person/group found out look at the recent report that only 50% are out at work (yes, I understand why). It is an understandable thought however it is the first crack in our facade. I recently had a conversation with a fellow co-worker (who is gay but hides it) after I started wearing my wedding ring. He said sharply, “Why make that announcement?”. I said it is my life and I am proud of, it took me a long time to get here with someone so I am not backing down.

    2. Some gay men are HIV positive (because the truth is unless you are having sex with that person…it is not your business because many of us are not compassionate but rather judgmental). We have marginalized this set of people with laws and comments/phrases on hook-up sites that keep people away from the truth. Also we have lost the idea that it is SAFER sex. We think the ONLY way to get HIV is bareback sex. Unforeseen mistakes (condoms break, impaired judgment and the killer of misplaced trust). YES (I feel) bareback sex is probably the highest reason today in 2014. I can’t tell how many friends have shared they trusted someone who lied about their status and their need to keep the relationship going for a variety of reasons. Also I can’t ignore the acceptance and endorsement of high gloss muscled bareback porn (Sean Cody and Corbin Fisher) vs. the stigma crushing Treasure Island Media; we are more polarized than ever. While, I tend to not race and look after bareback porn for the sake thereof it is simply EVERYWHERE now because it is a cash cow for the industry because GAY MEN WANT TO SEE IT…it is as simple as that and some gay men want to see TIM because it is something they would not do in their lives. It is a fantasy just like all these straight guys having sex on these sites. Also the drugs of today do not create that identify look..coupled with the sensation that “I should have known better” many are silent about their health to other partners.

    3. Some gay men are drug users (oh yeah the dirty little secret of party drugs, steroids, viagra and a entire array that no one talks about). We have the most talked about movies (“Weekend and Keep the Lights On”) in the past two years in the gay press “showcases” drug use with NO downfall. You still get the beautiful guy (he will even stay with you for 12 years), keep your job, all of your friends, remain pretty, get any guy you want in a back room, pay for escorts and most importantly still remain HIV+ and/or disease free no matter how many dark rooms you visit…WOW THAT IS IMPRESSIVE!! We have go back to the 1980s and 1990s with films to see HIV and AIDS depicted with “Dallas Buyer’s Club, We Were Here, The Witness, The Normal Heart, etc…but nothing of modern times…if you look at the gay films of today it seems that HIV has been eradicated and it is something to presented like a history lesson…NOPE it is still here!!!

    4. Some gay men are sex addicts (because the greater gay culture is designed to exploit and enhance that). Go ahead and look at your phone and/or computer (we are here at The Sword.com) see all the hook up apps or sites you have visited in the past week. How about your memberships and/or visiting of sex clubs/ circuit parties yeah because they raise money for HIV/AIDS research while promoting it at the same time.

    5. We have lost the meaning of the term is SAFER SEX…not safe sex…while people make choices…sex is a two way street and sometimes someone leads the other person blindly across.
    Imagine this:
    You both have been with your partner for 6 months or 2 years or 5 years or 10 years
    You are pleased and decide to talk about not wearing condoms
    You and your partner go get tested together of which they are both negative
    Your partner has sex with someone (maybe a mutual friend who does not know his status because well he just does not) after this declaration that is “less than safe”…also the mutual friend is living in a box in a box in box keeping secrets from himself.
    He does not share the indiscretion with you because it was one time and “well you just can’t get it like that.”
    You continue to have unsafe sex under the guise that you are both negative and committed until HIV makes itself known to you both
    I strongly feel that that the majority of new infections happen this way and not the rampant sex with a stranger in a back room

    1. This uninformed and simplified comment goes to illustrate how polarized some gay men are against those with HIV because many just assume it is a matter of taking one pill and you are good to go…there is a lack of compassion and basic UNDERSTANDING on the effects of these medications on the person so read further and educate yourself further…

      There are many factors as to why people DO NOT consistently take their HIV medication…

      1. ACCESS…one month they can get access and the next month they can not

      http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/social-issues/endgame-aids-in-black-america/why-some-with-hiv-still-cant-get-treatment/

      2. FATIGUE can be one of the most debilitating symptoms experienced by people with HIV disease. Fortunately, there are several measures that people experiencing fatigue can take to improve their energy levels and overall quality of life.

      http://www.thebody.com/content/art2640.html

      3. DEPRESSION…Studies show that people who are infected with HIV are more likely than the general population to develop depression. Depression affects a person’s ability to follow treatment for HIV/AIDS, as well as quality of life and lifespan.

      http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression-and-aids/index.shtml

      Here are some other reasons why HIV+ do not take their medications consistently

      Why do people miss doses of their HIV medicines?

      The most common reasons for people not taking HIV medicines are: • Feeling sick from the side effects.
      • Work or travel schedules make them forget.
      • Total number of pills they have to take and whether or not they have to take them with food.
      • Sleeping and eating schedules get in the way.
      • Depression or other mental health problems.
      • Using drugs or alcohol — forgetting or not taking their HIV medicines.
      • Not understanding how important it is to take medicines
      on schedule.

      Click to access 9236.pdf

  7. The man is absolute scum. Paul Morris should be behind bars. I am sure many of us look forward to the day Treasure Island Media is robbed clean with lawsuits and shut down once and for all. TIM gives the entire porn industry a bad name.

  8. I believe true (gay) empowerment comes from fully embracing yourself (strengths and weaknesses) and treating yourself with respect (eating healthy, having healthy relationships, positive thoughts that result in positive experiences, etc.). Drugs, alcohol, barebacking, and going for quantity (of sex partners) instead of quality are self destructive and the exact opposite of empowerment.

    1. Well said! Sadly, as gay men, we live in a world of YOLO and Grindr where we take unnecessary risks and put down others, in order to feel better about ourselves.

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